Neurologist&#39;s hammer



May 25, 1965 N. LEOPOLDI NEUROLOGISTS HAMMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.14, 1962 jlfvari' Zea 0Z1 2;

3,185,146 NEURQLGGETS HAMMER Norbert Leopoidi, 4181) Marine Drive,Chicago, Ill. Filed Aug. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 216,921 6 tl'liaims. (631.1232) My invention relates to a neurologists hammer, and moreparticularly to a compact hammer arrangement embodying the principaltools neded by the neurologist to aid him in his diagnostic work.

Neurologists and physicians in general who are interested in determiningthe reaction sensitivity of a patients nervous system customarilyemploys a number of tools as aids in their Work.

Most familiar to the general public is the hammer that is commonlyemployed at the knee. However, it is frequently desirable to have eithera comparatively small hammer head or a comparatively large hammer headfor use in connection with tests of this sort, depending upon therelative size of the anatomy of the patient being tested and thelocation of the test.

Furthermore, other tools commonly employed are a brush and a pointed pinthat are employed to determine the patients reactions upon applicationof these particular tools to the desired parts of the patients anatomy.

Consequently, it will be seen that there are a number of tools that theneurologist must have on hand to perform this test, and since they areall separate tools, the neurologist or physician must necessarilyprovide for some carrying means to be sure that they are all on handwhen desired.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a neurologists hammerwhich in eiiect provides a testing kit for the neurologist or physician.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a multiple toolneurologists hammer which in its fully assembled and collapsed positionhas a size on the order of that of a small flashlight or oversizedfountain pen.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple purposehammer that is economical of manufacture, convenient in use, and readilyemployed by physicians and the like who are concerned with making testsof the nervous system.

Other objects and advantages will become obvious or apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description and the applicationdrawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention shownin its collapsed or retracted position;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the hammer structure in its extendedoperative position;

FIGURE 3 is similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrates the tool in a partiallycollapsed position;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view substantially along theline 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic fragmcntal cross-sectional view approximatelyalong line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view of the hammer structure positioned approximately asshown in FIGURE 3 except that the head is moved to its inoperativeposition and the hammer structure is shown partially in section withparts removed or displaced from their normal positions;

' FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the hammer structure shown inFIGURE 6 taken from the left hand side of FIGURE 6, with parts brokenaway, but with the parts that are shown displaced in FIGURE 6illustrated in their customary positions;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the hammer structure shown inFIGURE 6, but taken from the right handside of FIGURE 6, with partsbroken away; and

3,185,146 Patented May 25, 1965 FIGURE 9 is an enlarged elevational viewof the end closure structure of the hammer handle, with parts shown insection to expose other parts.

However, the specific embodiment illustrated is pro.- vided primarily tocomply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, and the invention issusceptible of other specific embodiments that will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art.

Reference numeral 10 generally indicates a preferred embodiment of theinvention which comprises a telescoping handle structure 12 providedwith a swingably or adjustably mounted double ended hammer head 14.

The handle structure 12 comprises a tubular shell 16 that telescopinglyreceives a tubular inner or core mem ber 18 to which the hammer head 14is secured While the members 16 and 18 may be formed from any suitablematerials, seamless brass tubing adequately serves the purpose.Preferably, the external diameter or configuration of the inner or coremember 18 should substantially complement the internal diameter orconfiguration of the shell member 16, and preferably, the end 20 fromwhich the inner or core member 18 is to be withdrawn from Within shellmember 16 is proportioned to have a sliding but firm frictionalengagement with the exterior surface 21 of the member 18.

The member 16 is also formed with an elongate, longitudinally extending,slot 22 through which a protuberance 24, secured in any suitable mannerwith respect to the inner or, core member 1%, extends, so that themember 18 moves outwardly and inwardly of the member 16 in guidedlongitudinally extending relation thereto. Protuberance 24 may take theform of a rivet or the like suitably applied to member 18.

The inner or core member 18 adjacent its outwardly extending end isformed with the relatively short slot 32 and the relatively long slot 34in the sidewall structure 36 that defines the member 18.

It will be noted that the slots 32 and 34 are on diametrically oppositesides of the member 18 and define a pair of sidewall projections 38between which the hammer head 14 is swingably mounted, as by pin 41applied between the two in any suitable manner.

As indicated in FIGURE 4, the hammer head 14 comprises a body fitlhaving a relatively large end 52 and a relatively small end 54, with thepin 40 being applied to head 51 closely adjacent the juncture of therelatively large end 52 with the remainder of the body 59.

The relatively large end 52 forms a head portion 56, which is recessedas at 58 to receive the mounting end 61) of a resilient impact member 62formed of any suitable resilient material, such as rubber or a suitableplastic. Preferably, the impact element 62 includes the generallyhemispherical sunface 64.

The smaller end 54 is recessed as at 66 for receiving the mounting end68 of a smaller impact element 719, which likewise is preferably formedwith a hemispherical surface 72.

The hammer head 14 is also provided with a .detent element '74 that isbiased outwardly by compression spring 76 for the purpose of engagingone of the side- Wall projections 38 of member 18 to releasably lock orhold the hammer head 14 in the position of FIGURES of the inner or coremember 18 is related to the size proportioning of head 14, and this is'one of thefimportant features of my device. Slot 32 is given a length alongitudinally of the member 18 that is adequate to permit the hammerhead to be swung from the position of FIGURES 68 to the position ofFIGURES 2 and 3, and the slot 32 is given a depth transversely of themember 18 such that the shoulder 80 that is defined by the larger end 52will abut against the edge 82 of each sidewall projection 38, when thehead 14 is swung to its operative position. In this position, the detent74 emerges from head 14 under the biasing action of spring 76 as its tip84 passes from underneath the adjacent sidewall projection 38, to lockthe hammer head 14 in the position of FIGURES 2 and 3 until the operatordecides to return the hammer head to the inoperative position of FIG-URES 68.

The slot 34 is given a length longitudinally of the member 18 which isequivalent to the distance between the central axis 85 of pin 40 and theend of impact member 70 of the smaller end 54 of the hammer head. Slot34 is given a depth transversely of the member 38 such that the smallerend 54 may be swung between the side edges 77 of slot 34 to alignmentwith the longitudinal or central axis of the inner or core member 18.Preferably, the radius of the hemispherical surface 72 of the impactmember 70 is somewhat greater than the radius of the smaller hammer end54 so that the impact member 70 forms a resilient-stop for holding thehammer head 14 in the position of FIGURES 68.

As previously indicated, the hammer forms a kit and includes a brush 100and a pin 102 (see FIG- URE 6).

To carry the brush and pin, preferably the brush and pin 100 and 102 aresecured together to form a subassembly 101 (see FIGURE 9), which isdetachably connectable to the shell 16. This may be done, as byinternally screw-threading the shell 16 at its end 104, as at 106, toreceive a closure member 108 provided with mating threading 110 and ashoulder 112 which serves as a stop for limiting the amount that theclosure 108 can be turned into end'104 of shell 16.

The closure 108 may be formed from any suitable substance, such, asbrass, and is formed with a central bore 120 that is threaded as at 122to screw-threadedly engage the threaded portion 124 of pin 102. Pin 102comprises the pointed shaft 126 which is fixed to a head 128 that ispreferably knurled as at 130 for aiding in gripping same.

Also received in the bore 120 of closure member 108 is a transparenttubular member 140 that is proportioned to receive the shaft 126 ofpin'102, and is given a somewhat additional length for the purpose offorming a socket for mounting brush bristles 142. This may be done inany suitable manner, but in the illustrated embodiment, a suitablequantity of the brush bristles 142 are applied Within the end 144 of thetubular member 140 and then one or more lengths of wire 146 are tightlywound around the tube 140 to hold the bristles 142 in place. In theillustrated embodiment, the tube 140 is a transparent plastic similar toCelluloid so that when the wire 146 is tightly wound in place, the innerends of the bristles 142 will be tightly gripped or held in place.

The closure 108 is preferably knurled as at 150.

It will be observed that when the pin 102 is applied to the closure 108,the tubular member 140 serves as the housing for thepointed shaft 126.Likewise, when the brush as assembled to closure 108 is applied to theend 104 of shell 16, the shell 16 forms a housing for the brush.Furthermore, in the collapsed or retracted position of the device shownin FIGURE 1, the inner end 152 of the inner member 18 closely approachesthe inner surface 154 of closure 108, and thus seals off the openingdefined by slot 22 in the shell 16, thereby completely enclosing brush100. V

As already indicated, the hammer 10 in its inoperative retractedposition takes the relative positioning shown in FIGURE In thisposition, the, hammer 10 (new;

pics no more space than a small pocket flashlight or an oversizedfountain pen.

When it is desired to use the hammer 10, the inner or core member 18 ispulled outwardly of the shell 16 to approximately the position shown inFIGURE 3, and in this connection, it is pointed out that the cut-outarea of inner member 18 that is defined by slot 34 permits the member 18to be freely moved with respect to the shell 16 for the length of theslot 34, as the substantial position of the circumference of member 18that is eliminated by the forming of slot 34 trees the member 18 fromfrictional engagement with end 20 of shell member 16 for the length ofslot 34.

This will position the hammer at approximately as shown in FIGURES 68,after which the head may be swung to the position of FIGURE 3 and thenboth ends of the head engaged by the fingers of one hand to pull themember 18 outwardly of the shell member 16 against the bindingengagement of the shell member end 20 with the external surface 21 ofthe inner member 18. This outward movement is continued until the hammerhead has the desired ope-rating position with respect to the shellmember 16, and this could be at any desired point between the positionsof FIGURES 2 and 3.

If it is desired to use the brush 180 or pin 102 during the testingprocedure, they may be removed as desired by unthreading either theclosure 108 or the needle 102 as the need may dictate.

To retract the hammer head 14, the head 14 is pushed to the position ofFIGURE 3 with respect to the shell member 16, after which it is swung tothe position of FIGURES 68. The head may then be readily pushed into theshell 16 to the position of FIGURE 1. The inward movement of the head 14with respect to shell 14 is continued until the shoulder 80 of head 14contacts the end 20 of shell 16, which thus serves as a stop forproperly positioning inner member 18 with respect to brush 100.

The head 14 is held from accidental movement out of V the shell 16 inthe position of FIGURE 1 by reason of the fact that the ends 130 of thepin 40 protrude somewhat beyond the sidewall projections 38 (see FIGURE4), and this forms a locking arrangement when the end 20 is pressed overthem.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate my invention and the manner in which it may be performed,and the invention is not to be limited thereto except insofar as theappended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who havemy disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope or" the invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible neurological hammer comprising an extensible handlehaving outer and inner elongated telescoping members relativelylengthwise slidable between an extended use position and a retractedstorage position, interlocking means engaging said telescoping membetato regulate relative lengthwise sliding movement of said members betweensaid use position and said storage position, said inner member having afree end comprised of endwise extending sidewall portions defining asocket that is open endwise and that has oppositely directed side a faceopenings, one long and one short, a hammer head having oppositelydirected large and small ends each equipped with a resilient impactelement, said small end being movable through said long opening to nestwithin said socket and said large end presenting peripheral shoulderstructure as large as the end of said outer member, and pivot meansengaged in said sidewall portions and mounting a central region of saidhammer head to rotate about a transverse axis through said sidewallportions to permit said hammer head to be rotated between an axialstorage position wherein said small end is nested within said socket andsaid large end projects endwise from said socket and presents saidperipheral shoulder structure for engagement with said outer member tolimit retraction of said inner member into said outer member, and atransverse use position wherein said large end is adjacent to said shortopening and said small end projects through said long opening.

2. A hammer in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said small end hasits resilient impact element large enough to establish, when nested insaid socket, a friction fit against said inner member and maintain saidhammer head against accidental release from said socket.

3. A collapsible neurological hammer comprising an extensible handlehaving outer and inner elongated telescoping members relativelylengthwise slidable between an extended use position and a retractedstorage position, interlocking means engaging said telescoping membersto regulate relative lengthwise sliding movement of said members betweensaid use position and said storage position, said inner member having afree end comprised of endwise extending sidewall portions defining asocket that is open endwise and that has oppositely directed side faceopenings, one long and one short, a hammer head having oppositelydirected large and small ends each equipped with a resilient impactelement, said small end being nestable within said socket and having itsresilient impact element large enough, when nested in said socket, toestablish a friction fit against said inner member and maintain saidhammer head again-st accidental release from said socket and said largeend presenting peripheral shoulder structure as large as the end of saidouter member, and pivot means engaged in said sidewall portions andmounting a center region of said hammer head to rotate about atransverse axis through said sidewall portions to permit said hammerhead to be rotated between an axial storage position wherein said smallend is nested within said socket and said large end projects endwisefrom said socket and presents said peripheral shoulder structure forengagement with said outer member to limit retraction of said innermember into said outer member, and a transverse use position whereinsaid large end has said shoulder structure facing said short opening andabutting the sidewall portions thereadjacent and said small end projectsthrough said long opening.

4. A hammer in accordance with claim 3 and wherein said hammer head hasdetent means carried therein and resiliently biased to project therefromto cooperate with one of said sidewall portions to fix the hammer headat said transverse use position.

5. The hammer set forth in claim 3 wherein the other end of said outermember detachably carries a closure member, said closure member havingsecured thereto a brush member proportioned to be received within thebore of said outer member, and wherein the other end of said innermember is open and proportioned to extend adjacent to said closuremember when said hammer head one end is moved within said one end ofsaid outer member, whereby when said closure member is applied to saidouter member other end, and said hammer head is moved to position saidone end thereof, said other end of said inner member forms a housing forsaid brush member.

6. The hammer set forth in claim 5 wherein said closure memberdetachably carries a pin member positioned in alignment with said brushmember, said brush member being hollow and forming a housing for saidpin member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,007,512 10/ 11Aardahl 287-58 1,215,308 2/17 Johnson 29 1,269,820 6/ 18 Karatsu 128-21,515,820 11/24 Adelmann 145--29 2,532,093 11/50 Golub et al. 128-2RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE NEUROLOGICAL HAMMER COMPRISING AN EXTENSIBLE HANDLEHAVING OUTER AND INNER ELONGATED TELESCOPING MEMBERS RELATIVELYLENGTHWISE SLIDABLE BETWEEN AN EXTENDED USE POSITION AND A RETRACTEDSTORAGE POSITION, INTERLOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERSTO REGULATE RELATIVE LENGTHWISE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS BETWEENSAID USE POSITION AND SAID STORAGE POSITION, SAID INNER MEMBER HAVING AFREE END COMPRISED OF ENDWISE EXTENDING SIDEWALL PORTIONS DEFINING ASOCKET THAT IS OPEN ENDWISE AND THAT HAS OPPOSITELY DIRECTED SIDE FACEOPENINGS, ONE LKONG AND ONE SHORT, A HAMMER HEAD HAVING OPPOSITELYDIRECTED LARGE AND SMALL ENDS EACH EQUIPPED WITH A RESILIENT IMPACTELEMENT, SAID SMALL END BEING MOVABLE THROUGH SAID LONG OPENING TO NESTWITHIN SAID SOCKET AND SAID LARGE END PRESENTING PERIPHERAL SHOULDERSTRUCTURE AS LARGE AS THE END OF SAID OUTER MEMBER, AND PIVOT MEANSENGAGED IN SAID SIDEWALL PORTIONS AND MOUNTING A CENTRAL REGION OF SAIDHAMMER HEAD TO ROTATE ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS THROUGH SAID SIDEWALLPORTIONS TO PERMIT SAID HAMMER HEAD TO BE ROTATED BETWEEN AN AXIALSTORAGE POSITION WHEREIN SAID SMALL END IS NESTED WITHIN SAID SOCKET ANDSAID LARGE END PROJECTS ENDWISE FROM SAID SOCKET AND PRESENTS SAIDPERIPHERAL SHOULDER STRUCTURE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OUTER MEMBER TOLIMIT RETRACTION OF SAID INNER MEMBER INTO SAID OUTER MEMBER, AND ATRANSVERSE USE POSITION WHEREIN SAID LARGE END IS ADJACENT TO SAID SHORTOPENING AND SAID SMALL END PROJECTS THROUGH SAID LONG OPENING.